Piano string plate construction



Oct. 8, 1940. J. KLEPAC PIANO STRING FLATECONSTBUCTION Filed Nov. 14, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet l 1N VENTOR. ep/0 Mac WM QM NM NM Oct. 8, 1940. J. KLEPAC PIANO STRING PLATE CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY.

Filed Nov. 14, 1938 Patented Oct. 8, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PIANO STRING PLATE CONSTRUCTION Application November 14, 1938, Serial No. 240,243

14 Claims.

This invention relates to piano construction,

and more particularly to the construction of the string plate and the manner in which the strings are mounted thereon.

Generally stated, the object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved construction and arrangement whereby a piano string plate construction is provided with a bridge on the plate and between the latter and the strings, advantageously and effectively, and in which the usual soundboard is eliminated, the construction being such that an electrical resonator can be used in place of the soundboard, as by providing an electrical pickup adjacent the strings, which will transmit the sound vibrations electrically through any suitable electrical amplifying apparatus to a loud speaker or to a broadcasting aerial, or to a phonographic recording instrument, or to a telephonic receiver of any suitable 20 character, whereby a relatively large volume of tone can be obtained from a comparatively small piano because of the elimination of the soundboard and the substitution therefor of a resonator of different character, which may in practice have unlimited volume, so that the invention may be employed for different purposes and for different uses for which an ordinary piano, and especially one of relatively small size, could not be used effectively.

30 It is also an object to provide certain details and novel features of construction tending to increase the general efiiciency and desirability of a piano string plate construction of this particular character.

To the foregoing and other useful ends, the invention consists in matters hereinafter set forth and claimed and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a front elevation of an upright piano 4 string plate construction embodying the principles of the invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged section on line 2-2 in Fig. 1 of the drawings, with certain intermediate portions shown broken away for convenience of illustration.

Fig. 3 is a similar section on line 3-3 in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

Fig. 4 is a perspective, more or less in section, of certain portions of said construction.

Fig. 5 is a similar perspective view of another portion of the string plate construction.

As thus illustrated, the invention comprises a metal string plate having a straight upper edge portion 1 extending the full width thereof, a straight lower edge portion 2 extending for less than the width of the string plate, together with straight upper side edge portions 3 and 4, that only extend a distance downwardly from the said straight upper edge, together with a straight lower side edge portion 5, and the inclined side 5 edge portions 6, I and 8, whereby the string plate has a relatively wide upper portion and a relatively narrow lower portion.

An upper bridge 9 is cast integral with the front of the plate for the treble strings ll] of the piano. A bridge H is cast integral with the, front of the plate for the upper end portions of the bass strings [2 of the piano. A'rib I3 is also cast integral with the front of the plate for the hitch pins 14 of the said treble strings, it being observed that the middle portion of the plate is provided with a central opening l5 of irregular outline, and also with a lower opening N5 of more or less irregular outline, together with an opening I! at the left which is also irregular in outline. The lower portion of the plate is cast with a rib [8 for the hitch pins [9 for the lower ends of the said bass strings.

The upper ends of the treble strings are provided with tuning pins 20 inserted directly in the string plate, and into the usual pin plank back of the plate, and these pins may have sockets in the plate, having bushings of wood or any suitable material. In a similar way, the upper ends of the bass strings are provided with tuning pins 2| that are similarly inserted in the string plate, and in said pin plank, for tuning said bass strings. Preferably, this pin plank is a part of the back of the piano, so that the string plate is separable from the pin plank and the said back.

Thus the ordinary bass bridge is eliminated, the bridge II for the upper ends of the bass strings being the only bridge that is provided for these strings, and the ordinary bridge being entirely eliminated. 40

For the treble strings, there is a bridge 22, preferably of wood or other suitable material, fastened by screws 23, or by any other suitable means, to the string plate, along the lower edge of the previously mentioned opening l5 of the said plate. This bridge is provided with guide pins 24 to engage the treble strings, relatively close to or near the hitch pins 14 previously mentioned. Thus the plate has only the three bridges 9 and II, which are cast integral with the plate, and the bridge 22 which may be of wood or any other suitable or desirable material.

As shown more clearly in Fig. 2, the treble strings II) are disposed in a plane between the bass strings l2 and the metal string plate, with ample clearance to prevent any distortion of the vibration of said strings. There is no soundboard of any kind whatever, and hence there no usual or ordinary bridge on a soundboard of any kind whatever, such bridge and soundboard being entirely eliminated, in order that electrical devices, such as any suitable electric means, may be disposed in suitable relation to the strings, to pick up and transmit the m sical tones.

Preferably, an insulation shim 25 is interposed between the bridge 22 and the string plate, in order to insure the desired qualities of tone for the treble st as that bear upon this bridge, and to insulate the plate against vibration.

The said treble and bass strings may be of any suitable or desired character, as the invention is not limited to strings of any p rticular material, or to strings of any particular rormatioh or construction.

Thus the string plate construction shown and described is soundboardless, so to speak, and is Without the usual or ordinary bass bridge, and hence all bridges for the strings are on the string plate itself, and the strings are free to vibrate without the resonance of an ordinary soundboard.

The electrical pic up and amplification apparatus, for transmit g directly from the piano, is not shown or described, because this may be of any suitable or desired character, and is no part of the string plate construction constituting the invention.

It will be seen that the string plate is provided along the edges thereof with holes 25 for screws 27, by which the plate may be fastened to the frame or body of the piano, it being understood that the keyboard and action of the piano may be ordinary or conventional, or can be of any suitabl or desired character.

While the invention is shown as being embodied in the string plate for an upright piano, it is obvious that, in its broader conception, the invention is not limited to an upright piano, but may be used in grand pianos as well, but regardless of which type or style of piano is employed, it is nevertheless true that no soundboard is employed, and that all bridge provisions for the strings are on the string plate itself.

In Fig. 1 or" the drawings, it will be understood that some of the treble strings have been omitted, for convenience of illustration, and that some of the bass strings have been omitted for the same reason, but that in actual practice the string plate will have a full set of treble strings and a full set of strings as well.

Ordinarily, of course, the volume of a piano is dependent upon its size, and upon the size of its soundboard, and hence a relatively small piano with a soundboard will have less volume than one of normal size. However, with the invention shown and described, involving a soundboardless string plate, which can be used in combination with electrical amplifying apparatus, it is obvious that practically unlimited volume can be obtained from a comparatively small piano having a string plate construction of this particular character. The electrical transmission of the sound waves from the strings can be to a loud speaker, one built into the piano case, or one more or less remote from the piano itself. Thus, with a comparatively small piano, great volume can be obtained for orchestral or concert work, for example, even greater than can be obtained with a piano of normal size, for the electrical amplification may be of whatever degree may be desired. Again, the invention lends itself readily and satisfactorily to its use for broadcasting purposes, as the electrical transmission by microphone means, and the other elements of ordinary broadcasting practice, can be hooked up to a broadcasting aerial to broadcast the music played on a piano embodying the invention shown and described, and the tones or the strings will be transmitted without the accompanying resonance of an ordinary soundboard. Also, it will be readily understood, the invention can be used for making phonograph recordings, as the microphone means can be used to electrically transmit the music played on the piano to a recording instrument, and the records thus made will be free from the effects of an ordinary soundboard. These, or" course, are only some of the uses for which the invention is obviously adapted, and to which it may be applied more satisfactorily than an ordinary piano with a soundboard, and it will be understood that the invention is not limited to any particular use or purpose, but to the contrary may be incorporated in a piano to be used for any desired purpose for which it may be found to be suitable and advantageous.

Thus, with the construction shown and described, which is illustrative of the invention, the piano does not need to be heavily strung, as the strings are not used to vibrate a soundboard resonator but to the contrary are practically free from end to end to vibrate without any resistance, and this is especially so with the bass strings, for with the latter the vibrating length begins adjacent the hitch pins l9, as the ordinary or usual bridge mployed for the bass strings is omitted. In other words, the string plate is a self-contained unit, and has everything necessary for engagement with the strings, both the treble and the bass strings, as these strings have no engagement with anything other than provisions for that purpose on the string plate itself, and the tension of the strings is exerted entirely on the string plate alone. Thus, with the construction shown and described, the entire tension of all of the strings is borne entirely by bridges on the plate alone. P 'eferably, as shown in Fig. l, the bridge 22 is composed of two sections that meet at opposite sides of the rib or cross bar 2! of the string plate, the other rib or cross bar 28 extending over and above the longer section of said bridge. With this construction, the treble strings are supported by the two bridges 9 and 22, which are both on the plate, so that the latter sustains the entire tension of the strings, as the latter are bridge supported entirely on the plate itself, in the manner shown and described.

It will be understood, of course, that any suitable or desired or ordinary form of keyboard can be used for the piano, and any suitable known or desired form of action can be employed, with the hammers thereof normally out of engagement with the strings, in the usual manner.

It will be seen that the string plate thus formed with a plurality of openings is in the nature of a skeleton-like frame which is rigid and non-resilient and which, being soundboardless, contributes no amplifying or resonating effect for the strings of the piano, for while all bridges are on the string plate itself, the purpose of that is not to vibrate the string plate, for the latter is desirably ri id and non-resonant, whereby the vibrations produced by the strings will not be amplified or disturbed by resonance of any kind before reaching any electrical pick-up devices that may be disposed close to the strings to pick up the vibrations and electrically transmit them to an electrical volume amplifying apparatus of any suitable or desired character.

Obviously, the strings I and [2 are between the string plate and the hammers of the action, the latter being any suitable or conventional piano action desired. Thus the hammers are not required to operate through the plate against the strings that are thus bridged directly on the string plate itself.

The important feature of the invention, therefore, is that the bridge 22 is supported in a manner to prevent vibration thereof, for it is not only supported directly on the rigid string plate itself, but in addition sound insulation, as previously explained, is interposed between the bridge and the plate. Therefore, any slight vibration that the bridge might have is of no importance and has no purpose, and hence the bridge is practically vibrationless in character. This is also true of the bridge II for the bass strings and the other bridge 9, and hence there is no vibratory bridge in the construction. In this way, and

with the string plate construction soundboardless in character, there is no resonator effect of any kind whatever, and hence electrical devices may be used to pick up the sound vibrations from each string, directly, Without any interference by any soundboard or other resonator effect.

Thus it will be seen that the bridge 22 is entirely supported by the string plate, with the bridge entirely between the plate and the strings. Also, it is the free or exposed edge of the bridge that is engaged by the strings. In addition, the plate is between the strings and the supporting frame with the pin plank 28 to which screws 21 secure the plate in fixed position on the frame. In this way, the bridge 22 is vibrationless and is fixed on one side of the string plate, and the other side of the latter is fixed on said frame, so that the plate is between the frame and the strings. The plate supports the bridge, and the latter has no engagement with anything other than the plate and the strings. And, it will be seen, by this construction the bridge and the strings are supported by the rigid frame having the pin plank 28, only through the medium of the string plate itself, for the said plate is the immediate and only support for the bridge and strings.

Moreover, it will be seen that the one-piece metal string plate shown and described, as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, follows very substantially the conventional lines of an ordinary string plate, such as those used in pianos having sound boards. In that sense, it is correctly described as a string plate, and in addition it will be observed that the bridge 22 is substantially or more or less in the same position, and has substantially the same form or shape, that it would on the sound board of an ordinary piano, but, as shown and described, the bridge has, in effect, been taken off the sound board and. stepped onto the adjacent edge of the string plate. The arrangement of the treble and bass strings, it will be recognized, is also more or less conventional, and hence one object of the invention is to provide a sound boardless piano, which can be equipped with electronic means, but which nevertheless utilizes the advantages of the conventional string plate and strings of an ordinary piano. The sound board is omitted, and the bridge ordinarily found thereon is stepped onto the string plate, and in place of the sound board, electronic means of any suitable and desired character can be employed for amplifying the vibrations of the strings into a loud speaker of any suitable or desired character.

Looking at the drawings, as shown in Figs. 2, 3, and 4, it will be seen that the face of the plate I is formed with a flat seat 28 to receive the flat base of the bridge 22, and that this seat is formed with a shoulder 29 to position the bridge on the seat, with the shim 25 extending between the bridge and the seat, and also between the bridge and the said shoulder.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A sound boardless piano having a string plate with treble and bass strings suitably mounted thereon, said string plate being cast in one integral section, with integral ribs for hitch pins for the treble and bass strings, and with integral bridges for said strings, and having an irregularly formed opening in the middle portion there of, with a separately formed bridge extending along one edge of said opening to support the treble strings, said separately formed bridge being of wood or non-metallic material, with an insulating shim between this bridge and the string plate.

2. A rigid piano string plate having a rigid non-resilient non-vibratory bridge thereon and rigid therewith, so that the bridge is held against vibration, thereby forming a solid and fixed intermediate support for the treble strings thereof, having sound insulation interposed between the plate and bridge.

3. The combination and relative arrangement and construction of the following elements, towit: a rigid frame, a substantially flat rigid separately formed metal string plate rigidly mounted on and fastened to said frame, a separately formed bridge rigid with said entire plate, removable fastening means attaching the base of the bridge to the plate, and strings all anchored at both ends on said string plate and engaging the free or exposed edge of said bridge, whereby the latter is entirely between the strings and the plate, the base of the bridge being rigid with the plate, and the plate being disposed between said frame and said bridge, so that the bridge and the strings are supported by said frame only through the medium of the plate.

4. A structure as specified in claim 3, with all of the hitch pins and tuning pins for said strings on said plate, so that the latter and the strings and the bridge constitute a self-contained structural unit, and means whereby the unit is removably fastened to the frame.

5. A structure as specified in claim 3, said fastening means being removable from the back of the plate, whereby said bridge is removable from said plate.

6. A structure as specified in claim 3, comprising tuning pins for said strings, extending through said plate and into a plank of said frame.

7. A structure as specified in claim 3, said bridge having guide pins on the string engaging edge thereof, to engage the strings laterally, for the treble strings, and hitch pins on the plate adjacent said guide pins for said strings.

8. A structure as specified in claim 3, said strings being the treble strings of the piano, and bass strings overlying the longer treble strings,

free from engagement with said bridge, so that the latter oniy engages the treble strings and the plate, with the latter entirely sound boardless in construction.

9.:1 structure as specified in claim 3, said 5 bridge being made of wood, and said plate being of rigid metal, with vibration insulation between the plate and the of said bridge.

A. structure as specified in claim 3, said brid e being made oi wood, and said plate being 10 of rigid metal, w th vib ion ulaticn between the plate and the base of said binge, and screws extending ti. ugh the plate and insulation into said bridge, to removably maintain the latter in position.

ess piano, a substantially ned inetal string plate,

ge on said plate, re-

n the bridge in place, ends to said plate being rigid with t the bridge is vibraioaless and entirely between the plate and the strings, and whereby said plate and bridge form a structural the plate, so th unit, means to solidly support the plate, and means for fastening the plate in place, whereby the strings and bridge are supported entirely by the plate.

12. In a piano, a separately formed metal string plate formed in one rigid section, having a seat formed along an edge thereof, on the face of the plate, a more or less curved and separately formed bridge disposed on said seat, the latter conforming to the shape and curvature of the bridge, fastening means extending through the plate from the back thereof to secure said bridge solidly in position, and strings engaging said bridge and anchored at both ends on the face of the plate.

13. A structure as specified in claim 12, said bridge being formed of non-metallic material, and said fastening means comprising screws inerted through the plate and screwed a distance nto the bridge.

14. A structure as specified in claim 12, said seat having a shoulder to position the bridge on the seat.

JOSEPH KLEPAC.

DISCLAIMER 2,217,021.J0seph Klepac, Grand Haven, Mich. PIANO STRING PLATE CONSTRUC- 'IION. Patent dated October 8, 1940. Disclaimer filed February 25, 1942,

by the assignee, Story dc Clark Piano 00. Hereby enters this disclaimer to claims 11, 12, and 13, in said specification.

[Ofiicial Gazette March 24, 1942.]

DISCLAIMER 2,217,021.J0seph Klepac, Grand Haven, Mich. PIANO STRING PLATE CONSTRUC- TION. Patent dated October 8, 1940. Disclaimer filed February 25, 1942, by the assignee, Story & Clark Piano 00.

Hereby enters this disclaimer to claims 11, 12, and 13, in said specification.

[Ofiicial Gazette March 24, 1942.] 

